Blanchard River Buzz

A blog for rabid sports fans in the Findlay Area. Maintained by Findlay Courier sports writer Jamie Baker. The opinions expressed are my own crazed ramblings and not those of my employer the Findlay Publishing Company and its subsidiaries.

Monday, April 02, 2007

UT Rockets in a close shave

Point shaving at the University of Toledo? Hard to believe but it just might be true.
Here’s a link to a story about the whole sordid ordeal about former UT football player Harvey “Scooter” McDougle.

And here are the details about the point-shaving scheme according to documents filed in federal district court in Detroit:
— The scheme began in the fall of 2003 when a Michigan man identified only as “Gary” met University of Toledo football players at a cellular telephone store in Toledo.
— The man took the players out for dinners and to casinos in Detroit. He evaluated the players and then decided which ones he would recruit in the point-shaving scheme.
— “Gary” and the football players met at a Detroit restaurant and then gambled at Greektown Casino in December 2005.
— McDougle would attempt to recruit football and basketball players to join the scheme.
— McDougle told “Gary” during a call in December 2005 that he would talk to other players and see if they could make money on a game between Toledo and Texas-El Paso.
— McDougle told FBI agents last December that he gave “Gary” information about games so he could place bets. McDougle said he never played differently to affect any games.

Even if McDougle didn’t play any differently in games, if he did take gifts from gamblers seeking for him to be a part of the scheme and he talked to other players about joining the plan, then he’s guilty of complicity plain and simple. If the allegations are true then he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and an investigation into the UT program should be conducted to make sure no other athletes are involved.

If a point shaving scheme is going to happen, the schools from the MAC are good candidates. It’s nothing against the schools from the MAC, it’s just that the conference’s football teams tend to fly under the national radar. I don’t remember when it happened but you couldn’t even bet on the MAC legally with Vegas-based sportsbooks up until around 5 or so years ago I think.

MAC football games aren’t televised nearly as much as the other conferences and they just don’t get the national attention other programs get that. They probably don’t get the same attention by bettors that other conferences get either. I wouldn’t have expected this at most MAC schools. Places like Ohio,

Miami and Ball State are more or less insulated from the outside by being located in rural areas. But Toledo would a prime candidate for shenanigans such as this. It’s in an urban area and close to Detroit and all of the organized crime within its realm.

I guess Buffalo couldn’t have been a candidate for a point-shaving scheme too. But then again your program has to be relatively good and ahead in some games to shave points. The Bulls don’t exactly fit the bill.

Hopefully, this wound in the UT athletic department doesn’t run too deep and the NCAA doesn’t have to wield it’s big enforcement stick on the Rockets.

NOTEWORTHY:
SOFTBALL AND FUDGE: It happens every year and usually it’s softball. Yesterday one coach called in their game as a no-hitter and the opposing coach called and said they had 4 hits. That’s one helluva difference. Makes me wonder when we start getting stats if they will be accurate at all or if they will be fudged. I’m sure it happens in every sport. An extra rebound here and assist there in hoops. A hit when its a fielder’s choice in baseball/softball. Actually, I’m kind of sure a scant few coaches don’t know how to score a game. It was refreshing to get the Carey-New Riegel softball game — a 1-hitter by Megan Nalle. Both coaches agreed on the linescore.

Monday’s Baseball Scores
LAKOTA 4, ARcadia 2
Arcadia 110 000 0 — 2 5 5
Lakota 000 211 0 — 4 3 2
WP — Babcock. LP — Huffman (0-1). top hitters: (Arc) Fleegle 2-1B, RBI; Huffman 1B. (Lak) Miles 2B, RBI; Soudinger 2B, RBI.
records: Arcadia 3-2, Lakota 3-2.

Convoy Crestview 25, Columbus Grove 3
Convoy Crestview 153 0(12) — 25 20 0
Columbus Grove 003 00 — 3 7 0
WP — Michaud. LP — Bogart. top hitters: (CC) Cory Michaud 3-1B, 2B, 2 RBI; Schneider 2-1B, 3 RBI; Myers 3B, 1B, 3 RBI; Cody Michaud 2B, 1B, RBI; Harmon 2B, RBI; Eickholt 2-1B, RBI. (CG) Neu 2-1B, 2 RBI; Harris 2B, 1B.

liberty center 6, continental 3
Liberty Center 000 130 2 — 6 9 0
Continental 100 011 0 — 3 4 4
WP — Chefflinger. LP — Miller (0-1). top hitters: (Con) Miller 1B, RBI. (LC) Spiess 3B, 1B, RBI; Shumaker 2-1B; Brown 2-2B.
records: Liberty Center 4-1, Continental 0-4.

kalida 1, miller city 0
Miller City 000 000 0 — 0 3 2
Kalida 010 000 x — 1 1 0
WP — Guisinger (1-1). LP — Hermiller (0-2). top hitters: (MC) Wenzinger 2-1B; Pester 2B. (Kal) Smith 1B, RBI.
records: Miller City 2-3 overall, 0-1 Putnam County League; Kalida 1-1, 1-0.

new riegel 14, carey 4
New Riegel 400 104 5 — 14 19 0
Carey 102 000 1 — 4 8 4
WP — Theis (2-1). LP — Harrold (1-1). top hitters: (NR) B. Mathias HR, 2-1B, 5 RBI; Theis 3-1B, 3 RBI; Reinhart 3-1B, RBI; Wartz 2-1B, 2B. (Car) Thompson HR, 1B, RBI; Sammons 3-1B, RBI.
records: New Riegel 4-3 overall, 1-0 Midland Athletic League; Carey 1-4, 0-1.

patricky henry 6, ayersville 3
Ayersville 110 010 0 — 3 4 2
Patrick Henry 110 031 x — 6 7 3
WP — Taylor (2-0). LP — Brown. top hitters: (Ayers) Carr 2-1B. (PH) Reese 2-2B, 3 RBI; Leonard 2-1B; Bower 2B.
records: Patrick Henry 4-1.

bluffton 3, allen east 1
Bluffton 003 000 0 — 3 5 2
Allen East 000 100 0 — 1 4 4
WP — Wietholter (1-0). LP — Engle. top hitters: (Bl) Wietholter 2-1B; G. Fruchey 1B, 2 RBI. (AE) Yetman 2B, 1B.
records: Bluffton 3-1 overall, 1-0 Northwest Conference.

Ottawa-Glandorf 3, Fort Jennings 0
Fort Jennings 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
Ottawa-Glandorf 100 011 x — 3 9 1
WP — Leatherman (2-0). LP — Gerdeman. top hitters: (O-G) Andy Brickner 2B, 1B, RBI; Nienberg 2B, 1B, RBI; Horstman 2B, 1B. (FJ) Gerdeman 2-1B.
records: Ottawa-Glandorf 5-1.

crestline 18, riverdale 14
Riverdale 203 350 1 — 14 20 9
Crestline 405 513 x — 18 15 4
LP — Weber. top hitters: (Riv) Draper 2-2B, 2-1B, RBI; Rose 2B, 1B; Brown 2B; Titus 3-1B, 2B, 2 RBI; McKee 3-1B; Weber 3-1B; McAvoy 1B, 2 RBI.

vanlue 6, danbury 1
Danbury 000 000 1 — 1 2 4
Vanlue 202 020 x — 6 6 1
WP — Kloepfer (1-0). LP — Petroff. top hitters: (Van) Drown 2-1B; Kloepfer 2B, RBI; Sean Alfred 2B, RBI.
records: Vanlue 2-3.

OTHER NW OHIO SCORES
Archbold 14, North Central 2
Baseball
Bluffton 3, Allen East 1
Bowling Green 5-7, Otsego 1-4
Bryan 4, Edgerton 1
Colonel Crawford 15, Lucas 1
Defiance 4, Delta 3
Eastwood 12, Fostoria 11
Edison 5, Bellevue 4
Edon 10, Hicksville 0
Evergreen 6, Hilltop 2
Fremont St. Joseph 15, Tiffin Calvert 1
Gibsonburg 6, Cardinal Stritch 4
Lima Bath 13, New Knoxville 2
Lima Central Catholic 3, Spencerville 0
Lima Perry 13, Marion Catholic 0
Lima Shawnee 11, Delphos St. John’s 1
Lincolnview 12, Delphos Jefferson 5
Mansfield Madison 5, Galion 2
Maumee 5, Lake 0
Mount Gilead 12, Mansfield St. Peter’s 5
Ontario 3, Bucyrus 0
Ottawa Hills 7, Buffalo Timon 6
Patrick Henry 6, Ayersville 3
St. Henry 4, Celina 0
St. Marys Memorial 6, Marion Local 4
Sandusky 15, Margaretta 5
Sandusky St. Mary 18, Plymouth 9
Shelby 15, Lexington 7
Stryker 10, Wauseon 0
Swanton 16, Toledo Rogers 6
Toledo St. Francis 7, Sylvania Northview 5
Toledo Waite 7, Emmanuel Baptist 6
Wayne Trace 3, Antwerp 2
Waynesfield-Goshen 5, Riverside 2
Willard 14, South Central 0

Monday’s Softball Scores
CELINA 8, FINDLAY 3
Findlay 300 000 0 — 3 3 3
Celina 301 220 x — 8 13 0
WP — L. Homan (4-0). LP — Thomas (1-1).
records: Findlay 2-5, Celina 7-0.

Miller City 6, Cory-Rawson 5
Cory-Rawson 000 301 000 001 00 — 5 11 7
Miller City 000 130 000 001 01 — 6 12 10
WP — Wenzinger (1-0). LP — Bosse (2-1). top hitters: (MC) Wagner 3-1B, 2 RBI; Griggs 3B, 2B, 1B, 2 RBI. (C-R) DeVore 2-1B, RBI; Bosse 2-1B; Woodward 2-1B.
records: Miller City 2-0, Cory-Rawson 2-1.

North Baltimore 11, Seneca East 0
North Baltimore 121 07 — 11 12 0
Seneca East 000 00 — 0 5 1
WP — Trevino (1-0). LP — Walker (2-1). top hitters: (NB) Vanaman 2-1B, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; Rensch HR, 3B, 3 RBI; Trevino HR; Allison 2-1B, RBI. (SE) Hosang 2-1B.
records: North Baltimore 2-2 overall, 1-0 Midland Athletic League.

leipsic 2, ottawa-glandorf 1
Ottawa-Glandorf 000 001 00 — 1 2 2
Leipsic 001 000 01 — 2 4 4
WP — Mangas (2-0). LP — Tousley (1-2). top hitters: (Leip) Mangas 2-1B. (O-G) Bingley 1B, RBI.
records: Ottawa-Glandorf 1-3, Leipsic 2-0.

hardin northern 6, arlington 1
Hardin Northern 301 200 0 — 6 11 1
Arlington 000 000 1 — 1 3 2
WP — Messmer (4-1). LP — Hartman (2-2). top hitters: (HN) Messmer 2B, 2-1B, RBI; Parsons 1B, RBI; Flowers 2-1B, RBI; Marquart 2-1B, RBI; Potter 2-1B. (Arl) Rettig HR, 1B.
records: Hardin Northern 5-1 overall, 1-0 Blanchard Valley Conference; Arlington 2-2, 0-1.

convoy crestview 9, columbus grove 0
Convoy Crestview 014 001 3 — 9 9 1
Columbus Grove 000 000 0 — 0 3 3
WP — Hicks (2-0). LP — Bartz (0-1). top hitters: (CC) Lehman 3B, 2B; Hicks 2B, 1B; Henry 3B. (CG) Carpenter 2-1B.
records: Convoy Crestview 2-0 overall, 1-0 Northwest Conference; Columbus Grove 0-1, 0-1.

Eastwood 4, Fostoria Senior 0
Fostoria Senior 000 000 0 — 0 1 1
Eastwood 110 020 x — 4 8 0
WP — Haas. LP — Seel. top hitters: (East) Taylor HR; Dewyer 2-1B; Samson 2-1B. (Fos) Nye 2B.
records: Eastwood 4-0, Fostoria Senior 3-2.

CAREY 2, NEW RIEGEL 1
New Riegel 000 100 0 — 1 1 1
Carey 000 200 x — 2 4 1
WP — Megan Nalle (3-0). LP — J. Mathias (3-2). top hitters: Baker 2-2B, RBI; Kemerly 1B; Ellis 1B. (NR) L. Mathias 1B.
records: Carey 4-1 overall, 1-0 Midland Athletic League; New Riegel 3-2, 0-1.

lakota 13, arcadia 0
Lakota 440 104 — 13 9 0
Arcadia 000 000 — 0 1 2
WP — Capehart. LP — Baird. top hitters: (Lak) Capehart 2-2B, 1B, 3 RBI; Bickford 2B, 1B, 2 RBI; Lawrence 2B, 1B, 2 RBI. (Arc) Conine 2B.
records: Lakota 3-0, Arcadia 1-2.

crestline 9, riverale 4
Riverdale 010 012 — 4 4 2
Crestline 411 030 — 9 6 2
WP — Shumate. LP — Ke. Kotterman (0-1). top hitters: (Riv) Naus 2B; Justice 1B, 2 RBI.
records: Riverdale 2-2 overall, 0-1 North Central Conference.

OTHER NW OHIO SCORES
Archbold 4, Anthony Wayne 1
Bellevue 6, Edison 1
Bryan 8, Napoleon 1
Buckeye Central 5, Wynford 1
Bucyrus 14, Ontario 0
Clear Fork 5, Ashland Crestview 0
Colonel Crawford 8, Lucas 0
Convoy Crestview 9, Columbus Grove 0
Crestline 9, Riverdale 4
Delphos Jefferson 3, Lincolnview 1
Delta 12, Bowling Green 7
Fairview 5, Hilltop 2
Gibsonburg 2, Cardinal Stritch 1
Lake 7, Rossford 4
Lexington 1, Shelby 0
Lima Shawnee 4, Kalida 0
New London 4, Mansfield St. Peter’s 1
Patrick Henry 6, Ayersville 3
Sandusky 8, Margaretta 1
Sandusky Perkins 3, North Olmsted 2
Sandusky St. Mary’s 13, Plymouth 2
Springfield 17, Hilltop 4
Toledo Christian 5, Pettisville 2
Toledo Whitmer 5, Maumee 2
Van Wert 6, St. Henry 3
Wauseon 11, Stryker 0
Wapakoneta 3, New Bremen 1
Wayne Trace 9, Edgerton 4
Willard 12, Mansfield Madison 9

1 Comments:

  • At 3:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Interesting enough, it does not surprise me that coaches do not agree on stats. Sometimes it is blatantly obvious if it is a hit or not, but sometimes it isn't. In those cases, if the person doing the book isn't neutral, usually the call goes towards their team. Some people, though, take it over the line. It is something that can never be fixed.

    Rob

     

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